writing advice Archives

The 5 Cs of Professional Business Writing

A hand highlighting passages in an open book with a large yellow highlighter, a good way to focus on where to improve for more professional business writing.

Is your business writing professional — does it stand out or fade into the background, failing to reach your readers? If not, it might be time for a refresh.

I’ve done that. Especially since the advent of AI and its generic phrasing, I felt my writing was wordy and lacked luster. So, I’ve been sharpening my writing pencil ever since. Editing tools have helped me polish my phrasing. I’ve also chiseled away at my weaknesses.

Refreshing my writing has helped me boost my subscriber base and gain more work. It can help you keep readers hooked and ultimately, attract customers.

So, let’s brush up on the basics. Ready to stifle the yawns and add some “oomph” to your writing?

1. Clear – Vague copy is as foggy as a smudged windowpane; professional business writing shows a clean view of every detail. It contains the information essential to readers.

Suppose you’re emailing colleagues about a deadline update. Instead of saying “The deadline has been changed,” be more direct and specific:

Example: We’ve moved the deadline for the earnings report to next Friday, March 15th, at 5 pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Time).

One way to assess clarity is to check the readability level. This metric corresponds to grade-school levels, increasing with longer words and sentences, To address the average reader, some grammar experts suggest you write at a sixth-grade level.

Measure it with:

the Flesch-Kincaid scale
Software: Microsoft Word, Grammarly, The Hemingway App, etc.

2. Concise – Give only the information a reader needs to know. Trim the fat. To stay concise, be precise.

Essentially, slice away passages that detract from the meaning of the work, are vague, or repeat similar information. Write in plain English — like you speak — free of jargon. Compare these two sentences:

Example: In order to process your order, we need more information.
Revised: To process your order, we need your shipping address.

Strunk and White: “The Elements of Style”: Every word or sentence doesn’t have to be short, but every word must “tell.”

3. Correct – Accurate and professional business writing:

Meets basic grammar rules
Contains proper spelling and punctuation
Is fact-based

Beyond that, views on style vary. Depending on the style you prefer, you may format words or punctuation differently.

Example: The term “health care”: some organizations don’t place a space between the words (“healthcare”).

Minor differences like these can shift meaning and clarity in your writing.

Regarding facts, generative AI can “hallucinate,” or make up information and sources. Imagine the trust you lose when someone discovers your statistics are backed by thin air. Whether or not you use AI, verify any data — ensure every fact and figure is correct and credible.

4. Courteous – Friendly writing feels like a warm handshake, setting a polite tone. Whether you’re rejecting an idea or confirming a meeting, aim to reflect respect and professionalism. Avoid slang.

Example:

“Dear Tyler,

Thank you for meeting with me yesterday to discuss the Tech5000 project. I enjoyed learning more about your vision and goals.”

When your writing reads like a conversation, it’s more likely to connect with people.

5. Complete – Imagine leaving your audience hanging at the end of a story. Some, like “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien, end on a cliffhanger, without telling the entire tale to keep readers guessing until the next installment.

Give all the details necessary to get your point across. If you don’t, you can leave your readers with questions.

Close the loops through answering:

Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why
How?

Example: “We’ll follow up later.”
Rephrased: “We’ll follow up with the revised project outline by Monday, March 18, at 4 pm. Please let us know if you want any changes.”

Discover how to reach clients who value and respect you and your business

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Which of the 5Cs has helped you improve your writing the most? Leave a comment.

“Say all you have to say in the fewest possible words, or your reader will be sure to skip them; and in the plainest possible words or he will certainly misunderstand them.” ~ John Ruskin

“The two words ‘information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.” ~ Sydney J. Harris

write with empathy, writing advice

5 Ways to Write With Empathy in Business

In our post-pandemic business climate, one attribute distinguishes thriving companies: empathy. What does having empathy mean to you? Sometimes people confuse the term with compassion.

A young woman with an updo wearing a frilly blouse seated at a desk beside a lamp writing a letter with a pen.

Here’s how to discern the difference: If you tell a friend about a bad day at work and they say, “I’m sorry to hear that,” that’s compassion. But if they say, “That’s so frustrating,” that’s empathy.

Companies that don’t write with empathy or miscommunicate can disregard people’s feelings; the tarnished image can decrease their revenue.

For example, WeWork made headlines when the CEO fired 900 employees during a video meeting. The mass layoff helped turn the former tech giant into a poster child of corporate callousness, resulting in mismanagement concerns and a loss of trust among employees, investors, and the public. Two years later, it went bankrupt.

When messaging speaks to clients, they see a company that cares about more than just the sale. This connection fosters trust and loyalty, turning empathy from a soft skill into a tool that builds stronger, lasting relationships.

How to Write With Empathy to Engage Your Clients

1. Slip on their shoes – “Empathy means you relentlessly focus on your customer. You view the entire world through his or her eyes—because, remember, everything the light touches is content.” ~ Ann Handley, “Everybody Writes” (First edition).

Ask: How does my reader feel? Slip on their shoes.

Try this: Before you write your next email, imagine you’re the receiver. Are they rushing between meetings or relaxing with their morning coffee? How would your message fit into their day?

Handley suggests quality content results from the equation Utility x Inspiration x Empathy.

Utility: Clearly helping people do something that matters to them (e.g., easing their pain, helping them decide).
Inspiration: Fresh, well-written copy inspired by data that “feels like it could come only from you.”
Empathy: We see the reader’s point of view; the content is easy to grasp — written in a conversational tone — and you take as long as you need to tell the story well.

2. Dig deeper — An empathy map shows how customers will react to something now or how they have reacted before. The results can help you create a value proposition or other content; they’re often used in making new products or services.

As Alex Patton suggests, you can swing too far by fixating on facts or pressing customers’ pain points with hard selling. To strike a balance, place your customer at the heart of your approach.

Gain insights into their thoughts and feelings through surveying them or reading their reviews or social media posts. Then per “Everybody Writes,” explain how your products or services improve people’s lives. Be specific.

Company-centric: Many courses available round-the-clock.
Customer-centric: Udemy: “Learn anything. On your schedule.”

3. Empathy in action – Commiserate: repeat what the client said to show you’re listening and that you empathize.

Say that it’s frustrating that the website is down or the app won’t work. Beyond words, be real: speak from your heart. Again, imagine how your reader feels rather than saying what you think they want to hear.

The book “Writing That Works” by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson espouses the principles of writing with empathy. The authors admit writing is “less personal and more permanent” because the reader can’t see your face or hear your voice. To compensate, they suggest:

Your writing be as clear as you would say it in person.
Your writing be as tactful and understanding as you would be in person. Note your tone.
You anticipate your readers’ questions and objections and do your best to answer them.

Then ask yourself: “Would I say it, and would I say it in that way, if I was face-to-face with my reader?”

In other words, reply with warmth and feeling, as you would if you heard someone’s complaint at a dinner party. Speak in the first person, taking personal responsibility. If you must refuse someone’s request, show appreciation for the other person’s feelings and point of view. And “Always take the trouble to explain your reasons.”

Even form letters or emails should read less like templates and more like personal messages.

4. Get a clearer view – Writer Catie Holdridge offers more questions you can use to tap into the customer’s perspective:

Which issues has the customer raised?
How do they seem to feel, or how are they likely to feel, about these issues?
Which aspect of the problem seems most important to them?
Considering what you know of them, how is your reply likely to make them feel?
What do they already know about the subject? What more do they need to know?
What other interactions, if any, have they had with customer service or the company so far?
What will satisfy them?
What do you want them to think, know, or do?
How do you want the customer to feel after they’ve read your reply?

Again, the answers give you a glimpse into the client’s viewpoint, guiding your tone. But they’re not mind-reading tools. Sometimes, asking customers what will satisfy them is more effective.

5. Speak human – Businessese, overly formal language intended to impress readers, can appear forced, like some AI-generated content. As copywriter Nick Usborne has said, AI lacks emotional intelligence. It often needs coaching or prompting to arrive at the right empathic phrasing.

That’s where a human touch comes in, especially in editing it to add the right amount of emotion to connect with respect for your readers.

Example of a tagline for a personal injury law firm: Justice Served. Compassion Delivered. (ChatGPT)
Rephrased: We’ll be there to guide you through the legal process and help you win compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and medical costs.

To gauge how empathetic writing affects client satisfaction and sales, analyze your data. When feedback, engagement metrics, and conversion rates rise, they can show that the content touches clients.

Discover how to reach clients who value and respect you and your business

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Have you had a bad experience with a company? Leave a comment.

Quotes

“A clear and considerate letter written with sympathy for how the reader is going to feel. That’s the secret of how to say ‘no.'” ~ Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson, “Writing That Works” (First edition)

“If you know how to wield empathy with a little love, not a sledgehammer, you will be able to crawl inside your reader’s head and touch her heart every time.” ~ Lynda Dell, “3 Insanely Easy Email Engagement Boosts,” Digital Doughnut

e-mail newsletters, e-newsletters, electronic newsletters, email newsletters, enewsletters, newsletter advice, newsletter templates, newsletter tips, newsletter writing, newsletters, online newsletters, writing a newsletter, writing advice

5 Business Newsletter Writing Best Practices

Michelle Troutman

When you make e-newsletters, which I’ve done for more than ten years, you can overlook some business newsletter writing best practices. Some, like privacy rules, require legal compliance. Others, like the format, can affect a newsletter’s overall impact.

Follow these steps to create emails that comply with commonly accepted standards and build engagement.

See these videos for a more in-depth view of each step described in this blog.

1. Have a plan – Studies show people read online content in an F-shape. They focus on the top and the left side, reading from left to right.

They also tend to scan or skim emails. As email marketer Des Brown suggests, when you create an e-newsletter, consider:

scannability
visual hierarchy
reading patterns

Structure your content accordingly.

Many email marketing platforms offer mobile-friendly templates you can adapt to your style. Especially if you’ve never created an e-newsletter, compiling one is like guesswork. See what to add and where for prime engagement with The Easy 5-Step Business E-Newsletter Template.

2. Consider the format – Beyond planning and structure, a regular format eases creation.

Service provider e-newsletters often start with a “welcome” message, followed by one or two main articles, and then end with an offer. One section usually features a blog.

The listicle format has helped me keep creating e-newsletters for 11 years. Sticking to five key points saves me time, preventing me from driving down dead ends.

3. Foster ideas – I love to pre-crastinate, gradually adding ingredients to my pot of soup. I log ideas or snippets whenever inspiration strikes.

Whether you use an online scheduler or a spreadsheet, a three to 12-month content calendar can keep you organized. Apps may remind you about deadlines.

As you consider topics, explore how to save time and how your emails fit into your overall marketing strategy:

Curate content from sources like industry news websites using tools.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle: Reinvent any existing content (blog posts, video, press releases, white papers, etc.). Link back, summarize, or rephrase.

4. Catchier content – Most e-newsletters are educational, selling more subtly than email marketing campaigns.

Eye-catching headlines, body copy, and calls to action are crucial. The subject line is the first thing people see and influences whether they will open an email.

Example: How to protect, preserve, and pass on your wealth by design (Sundvick Legacy Center)

Content that engages is not only useful or persuasive, but relatable. Sharing your stories in your own voice, like what works and what hasn’t worked for you, shows you as a person, not a bot. Your unique experiences help you stand out.

5. Privacy compliance – This is an important business newsletter writing best practice. During a recent e-newsletter review, I was surprised at least ten percent of the U.S. companies’ footers didn’t follow CAN-SPAM rules. Some had “unsubscribe” links in low-contrast colors, making them hard to see.

Other CAN-SPAM aspects to note for commercial emails:

identify ads
don’t use deceptive subject lines

CASL (Canadian Anti-Spam Law) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation; Europe) require similar compliance.

See where to put your e-newsletter content–save time and gain results

grab my easy 5-step business e-newsletter template

What are some of your favorite e-newsletter best practices? Feel free to comment below.

QUOTES

“Create a questionnaire of common information you need to know from clients to put together an e-newsletter. Also, have a template where you can fill in the blanks of what they can discuss, depending on the type of newsletter (sale vs. announcement vs. new service, etc.). Organization and planning can help make the writing process go smoother and faster.”
Ashley Romer, SEO Manager, PaperStreet Web Design

“Your newsletters should include a variety of elements (blogs/articles, videos, podcasts, upcoming events, etc.). Balance consumable content with promotional content to maximize value for the recipient.”
Harvard University Brand and Visual Identity Guidelines, “Email Newsletter Best Practices“

content, lead generation, writing advice

5 Essential Elements of Lead-Generating Content

Is your business growing? If not, new marketing tactics, especially tried and true methods, could build results. But with the many lead-generating content marketing options available, it can be hard to decide how best to attract leads.

Knowing the ingredients of copy that sells helps. Once I learned more about them and started using them, my offers began to gain more clicks.

See even more details on each step featured in this article.

Use these secrets of lead-converting copy to boost responses from your dream clients.

A drawing of a magnifying glass in front of a laptop with a cog or gear on its screen; surrounding the laptop and the magnifying glass is a colorful 3D flowchart of concepts like clouds and circles with icons on them.

1. Headlines and subheadings – Aim to write a headline that hooks readers into the rest of your copy. A well-written one makes impressions in the form of responses or clickthroughs.

Evidence suggests an engaging title should contain one or more of the following ingredients:

News or timeliness
Relevance to the audience and the content (industry terms, targeted keywords, etc.)
Clarity
- active verbs
- conciseness
- strong syntax (word placement)
Personalization (e.g., “John, save 25% on widgets this week”) or an appeal to “you” or “your”
Power words (including trigrams) or psychological triggers or other emotion-evoking specifics:
- a promise or a benefit
- a curiosity “gap” (through mystery or a pleasant surprise)
- negative superlatives (e.g., “the worst”)
- urgency or scarcity (limited offers)
- a number (especially an odd one) as a digit, including statistics
- social proof or identity (“Join 234 other business professionals…”) (building trust and a sense of belonging)

Example: The 7 Worst Estate Planning Mistakes

Many of these aspects, including the curiosity gap, have attracted more attention to my emails. Don’t go overboard like I did when I first practiced the principles — I piled them into my headlines. I’ve since learned that three or fewer per title work well.

Place subheadings throughout longer content to break it up and highlight key points — and add the elements above to boost engagement.

2. Targeted keywords – List words and phrases that appeal to your audience. Then use tools like Google Instant, Google Ads, or SEMRush’s Topic Research to refine search terms, including questions people ask. Businesses that serve a local market should add location-based keywords. This research may also inform your lead-generating content topics.

Example: “financial advisor for single mothers in Texas”

Or focus on different aspects of your products or services or your clients’ goals.

Example: “financial advisor for aggressive growth portfolios” or “financial advisor for first-time home buyers.”

Adding keywords to headlines, headings, and throughout, helps the right clients find you online. Place them in website meta descriptions, too. But avoid age-old “stuffing” techniques that no longer work. As few as one to three keywords can gain results. Compared to high-volume keywords, long-tail ones with three or more terms reach a more targeted audience.

3. A clear structure – For snippets of 300 or fewer words, one topic works well. But for longer content, an outline organizes your ideas to flow from one to the next, easing reading. And it prevents trips down rabbit holes.

The P-A-S headline formula, problem-agitate-solution, works for lead-generating content like landing pages and emails. The F-A-B formula (features-advantages-benefits) also augments persuasive content, especially for products, per Intuit’s Lacerte software web page.

Informational content, like blog posts, benefits from the A-I-D-A (attention-interest-desire-action) format.

4. Compelling body copy – Don’t tell, show! Use vivid, benefit-driven language to describe how your offer changes lives. Power words like “transform” and “effortless” and descriptive terms like “patient-centered” grab attention and reframe information positively.

More elements that draw readers (from “Brainfluence” by Roger Dooley, “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath, “Contagious” by Jonah Berger, and other books):

Statistics that use numbers rather than percentages (“Nine out of ten dentists recommend”). Those that show a relationship or correlation hold interest, too.
Testimonials, which may also show social proof and build credibility; add a name, face, and a story or feature what others say about you (“Ranked #3 by J.D. Power & Associates”).
Asking people to imagine they own an item through leading questions helps them feel like they have it. Example: De Beers’ “A Diamond Is Forever” ad campaign: “How can you make two months’ salary last forever?”
Focus on remarkability: what makes your product or idea remarkable? Example: Apple iPod: “1,000 songs in your pocket”
Define the benefit of the benefit (e.g., “quarter-inch holes” vs. “quarter-inch drill-bits”).

5. Effective calls-to-action (CTAs) – Inspire readers to act through clear and concise directions. Describe what they’ll get. Formulas like V-O-U (verb-offer-urgency) can guide you to clickable frameworks.

Or, as HubSpot suggests, ask yourself:

What do I want the reader to do?
Why should they do it?
How will they know to do it?

Clarify your goals for your readers and align them with their problems.

Strong action verbs encourage clicks. The key is to use descriptive terms. Generic phrases like “click here” don’t work as well at influencing action. More descriptive text also helps the visually and cognitively impaired take your directions.

Example: Start your free case evaluation now

Simple and clear action verbs include:

Join
Book
Sign-Up

When possible, prefer one-syllable words for easier understanding. Though the word “get” is popular, some marketers don’t consider it specific or effective enough. But it can work in some offers.

As always, despite what the experts say (or think), test and track the results. Adjust your writing, if necessary, to enhance interest.

Bending over backward to satisfy every client is tiresome. Some of us aren’t that flexible. 🙂 And it can waste time you could spend attracting better clients.

Learn how to write content to gain customers who value and respect you and your work.

grab this free checklist to reach the right clients

How do you like to write copy to get responses? Feel free to comment below.

QUOTES

“Content is the fuel for your lead generation efforts.”
Dayna Rothman

“Approach each customer with the idea of helping him or her solve a problem or achieve a goal, not of selling a product or service.”
Brian Tracy

writing advice, writing better, writing well

5 Ways to Write With Style

A little creative flair helps everyone write with style and hook readers. With the rise of generative AI, because it’s trained on others’ online content, bland or ordinary writing abounds. AI-created copy also promotes common writing woes, from clichés to the passive voice.

Learn more about each of the steps listed here in this series of five videos.

Here’s how to sell a product, a service, or an idea memorably to gain leads.

1. Evoke imagery – Writers have often been advised to “show, not tell”: to choose words that stimulate the five senses. “To be” verbs and other weak wording advise readers how to feel or think. Such passages are as exciting as endless vacation photos.

Example: The storm was terrifying.
Rewrite: The wind roared like a train, causing the hairs on the back of Jan’s neck to rise.

The latter shows the physical effects of the wind on Jan through the senses of feeling and hearing. Descriptive language adds impact to your storytelling, headlines, and body copy.

Poets excel at turning the literal into the figurative.

Example: “The fog comes on little cat feet.” ~ Carl Sandburg, Fog

Studying this art form can inspire creative wording. It can truly enhance your storytelling. In business terms, it can mean translating ordinary descriptions of a service into images everyone can relate to.

Example: “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”

To enhance imagery, imagine a scene unfolding in your mind and describe it with action verbs, adjectives, or other details. In advertising, choose power words.

For promotional purposes, descriptive writing reframes concepts or terms to make them sound more appealing. It prefers adjectives like “oven-crisp,” to “baked.” As Roger Dooley noted in “Brainfluence,” it doesn’t work in contexts that require a clear understanding of information, such as ordering instructions.

2. Add rhythm – Vary the length of your sentences. For instance, three short ones in a row sound robotic:

You’re welcome. Thank you. Have a nice day.

A man dressed as a female punk wearing an bright orange wig, green eyeshadow, and dark lipstick writing with a pencil on a pad of paper.

As they flow from one idea to the next, a mix of short and long sentences adds rhythm and engrosses readers.

When you repeat words for emphasis, you can produce a memorable statement. Leaders like Ronald Reagan and Martin Luther King, Jr. used this anaphora effectively to highlight their beliefs and ideas. They tied them together clearly while they evoked strong emotions in their listeners.

Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” ~ John F. Kennedy

Anaphora also works well in ads.

Example: “Big skies. Big scenery. Big possibilities for all kinds of adventure.” (WestJet)

Rhythm, coupled with the tone behind your words, adds grace or eloquence.

Alliteration, words that start with the same letter or sound nearby in a sentence, acts like music to readers’ ears.

Like anaphora, it makes passages “stickier,” adds emphasis, and stirs feelings. It also works well in slogans:

Example: Faster, fulfilling, and flexible business solutions.

Don’t veer into creating tongue twisters, though. Use similar-sounding words sparingly.

Example: You can’t cut corners.

3. Rhyme time – You don’t have to mimic Dr. Seuss — which can be a little “suss” to some — but similar-sounding words can also connect with readers.

According to cognitive fluency researcher Matt McGlone, rhyming phrases can feel more truthful or accurate to readers. They’re also easier for our brains to process, making them clearer and more memorable.

Rhyme can be most effective for boosting brand awareness and engagement in slogans, calls-to-action, or headlines.

Example: Plop, plop, fizz fizz, oh, what a relief it is! (Alka-Seltzer)

As shown, one word that rhymes with another is appealing. A one-syllable word also sounds natural.

Plays on words, however, can go over some readers’ heads. Prefer clear over clever phrasing.

4. Get creative – Clichés are overused passages that lack originality.

Example: Think outside the box.

Consider other ways to say it with style.

Revised: Find a new solution.

Cliché Finder can help you spotlight them in your work.

Behavioral marketing experts like Nancy Harhut have suggested that metaphors can transform abstract products into concrete or tangible ones. They help us grasp a concept quickly.

Example: “Crazy Egg is like a pair of X-ray glasses that lets you see exactly what people are doing on your website.”

5. Sound like yourself – When I chose the phrase “write with style” as part of this blog’s title, I hadn’t read the International Paper ad by novelist Kurt Vonnegut. While I researched and wrote this piece, I stumbled across the ad, which is essentially an article featuring his tips on the topic.

In it, Vonnegut advised against writing “like cultivated Englishmen of a century or more ago.” He also suggested you write like you speak and “say what you mean to say,” in easy-to-understand language. When you’re selling a product or a service, that can mean writing like your audience speaks.

Like Vonnegut’s works, his thoughts remain timeless. Our voices, perspectives, and experiences make us unique. ChatGPT hasn’t played darts. It hasn’t stubbed a toe or eaten creme brulee. Though it can create based on data, it lacks our perceptions. It doesn’t always duplicate humanity.

Discover how to write with style to reach clients who value and respect you and your business

get my checklist to create content to reach the right clients

How do you write with style? Feel free to comment below.

QUOTES

“If you scribble your thoughts any which way, your readers will surely feel that you care nothing about them. They will mark you down as an egomaniac or a chowderhead — or, worse, they will stop reading you.”
Kurt Vonnegut